DIY commandments to live by

The DIY population is enormous and growing every day. DIYers come from all walks of life, age groups, educational, and ethnic backgrounds. They are a powerful, diverse and fascinating global community. Some are generalists, others are specialists. They can build and repair and they love undertaking both outdoor and indoor projects.

The important thing is that we can learn a lot from each other. Not only can we learn new skills, but we can also share information about methodology and best practices — vital knowledge leading to the successful execution of projects. Realizing the common bonds we share, I’ve put together three universal commandments that can act as a guide, better yet, template, for executing projects.

Learn from our mistakes

They say we learn from our mistakes. Logically, that’s the way it’s supposed to go. And maybe most people do. But I can’t say that’s true of myself all the time. Often — usually in haste — I make the same mistake. When it happens, I’m furious with myself. After I make the same mistake twice, I never do it again. I’ve learned to think carefully about everything I do, especially tasks I don’t do routinely. In fact, I often attach notes to equipment or machinery I don’t use often to remind myself about mechanical problems to avoid or maintenance tips I’m not likely to remember.

Don’t rush into projects

Put the brakes on our enthusiasm. I can’t speak for all DIYers, I can only write about my own reactions and experiences. I love starting projects I’m excited about. These are not the must-do fix-it projects that have to be done to keep our homes running safely and efficiently. I’m talking about projects that we can’t wait to tackle because they’re meaningful to us. A good example is a tree-house a buddy built for his grandchild. He couldn’t wait to build it and see the reaction of the child as he climbed into it for the first time. I must say it was a work of art. But he had the good sense to not let his enthusiasm get the better of him. He knew that the tree house had to be built correctly so it was sturdy and safe and strong enough to hold a few kids. Even though he couldn’t wait to complete it, he went out of his way to constantly check his calculations and materials to make sure that he wasn’t making any mistakes. That conscious effort segues into my third, and most important, DIY commandment.

Careful planning

There is no such thing as enough planning. I doubt if there is a DIYer on the planet who disagrees me about the importance of obsessive planning. All projects, big or small, must be carefully planned down to the tiniest details. The more time put into the planning stage, the greater the odds of not making mistakes. Ever year millions of dollars are wasted by homeowners because they failed to devote enough time to planning every detail of a project. Planning isn’t fun, especially for large, complicated projects. It requires time and research so that every phase of the project is meticulously thought out.

The toughest part of the planning stage is constantly challenging ourselves by asking questions about strategy, building technique, tools and materials so that we’re using the right wood, paint, and we’re using state-of-the-art tools and equipment. A great way to make sure our plans are bulletproof and correct is to ask an experienced DIYer to look at them when completed. Why take any chances? He or she might spot something we missed.

That last and final step provides us with priceless objectivity. It can often mean the difference between success and failure.